Phone Insurance

[Tarlo Farm]

Do you have it? Has it been worth it?

[piedmontfields]

I am thinking that you need to have it when you lease-purchase a smart phone (as part of your phone bill)? (which is how I bought my last iPhone)

I did have it many years ago and used it after a bad incident at the barn (crushed by horse hoof). It was handy. But the phone before this one did not have it (bought phone outright).

I guess the question is how painful is it to you to buy a new phone for $800+ (or somewhat less for a refurbished phone) at any time you might need to repair by replacing it.

[clanter]

by paying for my cell service with my credit card the card issuer provides a $600

"Pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo Consumer Credit Card and you'll get up to $600 protection (subject to a $25 deductible)."

[StraightForward]

When it comes to insurance, the house always wins. The question is just whether or not you can afford to self-insure. When it comes to our house, even if the mortgage is paid off, no, we can't afford to self insure. We need protection if the thing should burn down. For a phone? Yeah, I can manage that. I paid $300 for my unlocked fancy-pants Android phone about 18 months ago. If I run it over with my car tomorrow, I'll just buy another one.

When I got my first smartphone about 7 years ago, it had insurance, and I did get it replaced after it was damaged by liquid. Nice at the time, but I haven't had a loss or breakage since, and I'm sure I could pay for another $300 phone with the insurance payments I've avoided over the last 5-6 years.

[Kyra's Mom]

I haven't had insurance on my smart phones. On the current one, I did pay a little extra to get a glass screen cover which includes replacements for life but no insurance on the phone itself. Like StraighForward, I can afford to replace it so I will keep that insurance money for myself.

Susan

[Tarlo Farm]

Hi Clanter! (waving) Thanks for the tips and suggestions everyone. I did get insurance on this one; second $300 phone in two months. First one lasted four years before I tried to wash it. The other day I was enticing my men-of-mayham mutt into a pond and slipped and fell - with the new phone in my back pocket.

I've since found some home policies have a $20/year rider I'll look into also.

[heddylamar]

I don't bother with insurance on anything but health, home, liability, and vehicles. We don't end up using the policies enough to justify the added expense.

My husband ends up killing his cell phone — reliably — 1-2 months before the new model is released from Apple. Neither he nor I would want to purchase new old tech, so we borrow/buy an older model from a friend for the meantime. Many of my old good condition phones have been given/sold to friends in the same manner.

[galopp]

I get iPhones on the replace it every year for what is new out (its sorta like renting), and they replace the phones immediately.

[clanter]

(waving) .

waving back

OK you want to fell.... OLD ? ... the twins will be eleven this September ... I know worthless without photos but I will figure out how to post them soon

[Tarlo Farm]

NO!! Yes, not true without photos.

[Canyon]

Not related to insurance, but durability. My husband's Samsung Galaxy S7 (I think that's the model) survived a trip through the wash unscathed. Fortunately I found it before a trip through the dryer!

[Snork]

I think this is an individual decision. For me, phone insurance is always worth it, but I'm exceptionally careless with my phones.

Square Trade replaced 3 Samsung Galaxies for me within a year before I smartened up and switched back to the iPhone. So far it's about a replacement a year for me, which at iPhone costs is substantial savings over the full price.

I always get Square Trade though, not AppleCare. They offer more replacements

[LeoApp]

Whaaa??? Eleven???

I just don't get a phone that costs so much money that it needs insurance. I think it is ridiculous what some of these phones cost now.